"We are here to turn the page of the misunderstandings, for a new beginning," said Howard Shultz, chairman of the US coffee shop chain after having signed a coffee distribution and marketing deal with the Ethiopian government. - AFPPhoto: Courtesy of AFP
Starbucks to Build Ethiopian Farmers' Centre
AFPNovember 28, 2007
US coffee giant Starbucks on Wednesday announced plans to build a support centre for Ethiopian coffee farmers, claiming an end to a long-running dispute with the East African country.
"We are here to turn the page of the misunderstandings, for a new beginning," said Howard Shultz, chairman of the US coffee shop chain.
He was speaking after having signed a coffee distribution and marketing deal with the Ethiopian government.
"This is a real commitment to work side by side with the coffee farmers of Ethiopia," he added.
Starbucks plans to build next year a center in Addis Ababa aimed to help farmers to raise the quality and production of famed bean varieties in Ethiopia, Africa's largest coffee producer and exporter.
The announcement follows a June agreement by Starbucks to credit Ethiopia's varieties on its labels and allow it to pursue trademarks for its Harrar, Sidamo and Yirgacheffe beans.
"This marks a new beginning between Ethiopia and Starbucks. All the disagreements are behind us because of the decision of Starbucks CEA in favor of our coffee farmers and the recognition of their property rights on coffee," Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi said Wednesday.
Starbucks' purchases of Ethiopian coffee have soared 400 percent between 2002 and 2006, the Seattle-based company says. It plans to increase its promotion of the coffees next year.
The company claims its Ethiopian farmers' centre will be the first of its kind in Africa. It has built a similar centre in Costa Rica.
Ethiopia's trademark dispute dates to 2006, when the US Patent and Trademark Office ruled against Addis Ababa's trademark application and in favour of the National Coffee Association, which includes Starbucks.
Hi Wondowossen,
ReplyDeleteI am a bit confused with this kind of news, your comments would be much appreciated, what's more as you have a great experience on this field since the time you have begun to follow this story. This kind of article you post, without comments, is just like Starbuck's communication campaign.
Sure it is good to promote the good steps, but is it really one?
I wonder if this kind of "Support center" is not another means to maintain Ethiopia and other african countries in raw material production, that is production with low added-value in the end, what is in any case good for compagnies like Starbucks.
You see the same compagny have not supported the creation of a Kaldi, I would be much more happy to hear that they would help Ethiopian farmers to take control of the full chain production, and Ethiopian industries to product finite materials, but that is not possible for clear reasons that Starbucks and multinationals interests would be opposed to the ones of Ethiopia in this case.
The parallel with charity company strategies and consequences is striking: the same way that charity compagnies help to maintain alive a system of exploitation by curing the wounds everywhere they appear, here Starbucks try to cure some of the wounds but the depth of the issue remains the same.
Sure every good step is good to see, but it is important in the end to bear in mind that the interests of american multinationals are not the ones of Ethiopia.